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In the Aftermath of the 2024 election, America is even more divided than before. Half the country fears the end of democracy, and the other half welcomes it as America inches toward the brink of authoritarian rule. Now more than ever, we must force ourselves to have the necessary conversation.
B
Where am I supposed to.
A
Look at me.
C
Hit it.
A
Welcome to the necessary conversation. This is obviously a very special episode. As you can see, we are all in the same place at my mom's house. It is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.
C
Thank you.
B
Happy Mother's Day.
C
Thank you.
A
So if you watched our Wednesday episode, you know that my dad was having some medical troubles, and that is why my sister and I are here. I'm going to open this podcast by giving a little progress report on Bob, our dad. I received a phone call from you, Haley. Midweek or. No, when was this? Thursday or Friday?
C
Friday, May 8th.
A
It was Friday. And the phone call opened like this. Dad died. And then a long pause and they brought him back to life. So our dad had a near death experience on Friday, May 8th. He is alive. He is in his rehab center. As soon as we finish recording this, we're going to go visit him. Haley, mom feelings on this.
B
I mean, that's why we're here. It was terrifying.
A
Yeah.
B
I got. I was on my way to get Willow moved out of college, so we were like in the Northeast. One of my kids, we were in the northeast on a plane. And the minute we land, I look at my phone and it just says dad coded. So I called mom to see what the. And obviously she was not well. Immediately booked a flight to Oklahoma. And here we are. So hard to process. A lot going on. It's just a lot.
A
Yeah. For those wondering how he's doing. Do you have your phone, Haley?
B
I left it over there.
C
She can get it. Just don't trip. And then I'll talk while she's gone.
B
Okay.
C
So on that morning, he had had pt. He had stood up three times with an assist and back down. He loved his therapist. Then OT was. He had a 30 minute break. OT was. The next lady was coming in and he looked tired. And I looked over at him, said, bob, oh, she's here now. And he kind of looked at me, but he kind of shut his eyes back then. She said, I'll be right back. I have to get a piece of equipment. I said, okay. So I walked over to him and said, you need to wake up. She's going to be starting with you. And he wouldn't wake up. I Said, bob, you need to wake up. And he wouldn't wake up. I started shaking him. I started hitting him. He wouldn't wake up. So then I yelled. And then two nurses came in. They couldn't wake him up. So then they hit the button, the code button. Ten people in, doing all kinds of stuff to him. He's still not waking up. I'm on my knees. I said, God, don't take him today. Please don't take him today. And they got me out. And then I hear, 91 1. Yes, yes. 911 was directly across the street. And they got there within one minute. I had the strongest women in that rehab facility holding me up, saying, God's got it. Today's the day. God's got it. It's okay. It's okay. All these men, big old paramedics and firemen came in and started working on him, resuscitating him. I then stood up to go look in, and then I couldn't look in. And they were beating on him. They were doing all kinds of stuff on him. And then I went back out. They had me sit on a chair. And then all of a sudden I hear like, oh. And one of the nurses holding me up, we started praying. And she prayed with me. And then I hear this noise. And it was like an animal noise. It was. And I look at her, and she starts smiling. And then I heard it again. And she goes, they got him. And all the people are, we got him. We got him. So he was brought back to life. His heart restarted. He was probably without the heartbeat a good three minutes. And from that point forward, Bob became combative. They kind of. It's a delirium when they wake up and they don't know what's happened. I'm sure they put the adrenaline stuff in him, epinephrine, whatever. I think they did it in his leg. I'm not for sure, because so much stuff was flying going from there. He was going to kick everybody's ass. He's like, mary, get their names and numbers, because we're suing the out of them. And he was so combative, they had to tie him down. The guy's like, bob, I'm taking care of you. Just calm. Just calm. Then they gave him something to calm. And off we went to the heart hospital, which is directly across the street. From there, they ran all kinds of labs, and low potassium, low magnesium can put a heart into an event like that. So we had an event. The cardiologist over there, I mean, to be a good cardiologist you have to be like God, you know, you know, you know, you know how to save people's lives, and that's the kind of doctor you want. But he wanted to do a couple more things, and he said, I'm only here for the heart. He said, I don't think he had a big, big heart attack. I think he had an event where his heart stopped and they brought him back. So he said, unless you want me to crack him and look inside there, he said, go back to rehab, increase the potassium, increase the magnesium, control that, and I hope I never see you again. He did want to do one procedure that we declined due to the fact he could die on the table. And I conferred with Chad and Haley and my friend Jules, the paramedic, and she said, no, the heart hospital is wonderful, but all they do is hearts there. And his heart was really okay. It just stopped for a while and came back. That's where we're at. He died. He died before my eyes.
A
It's wild. Obviously, we're glad that he's with us still in the land of the living. I did ask him if he had any memory of the near death experience of going to the other side. He claims no. Maybe more details on that later. For anybody wondering if it's altered his mindset or anything. Now, Hayley, please read the text exchange that you had with him yesterday.
B
Okay, let me find it. It was me, you and dad, Right? Between me and dad. Okay.
A
And by the way, this is the most amount of texts I've ever received
B
from him in my life. That's what I told mom. I said, he's texting me, like, more than ever in my whole life.
C
Explain, though, why we were gone, too.
B
Oh, okay. So I land, I go to the hospital. So I'm with them. Chad's not here yet. And dad says, I want. I want Popeyes. If I'm gonna die, I want my Popeyes, so you shouldn't be eating that. But okay.
C
He lived another day. He lived another day. We're gonna give him his one.
B
I want my Popeyes. And he says, I need two breasts. So, like, that's our mission.
A
Yeah.
B
The nearest Popeyes is, like, I don't know, a 15 minute drive from the hospital. So on our way, we go, we finally get to Popeyes. We order through the window, we pull up, and he says, we don't have any breasts left.
A
That's God's cruel joke. I will bring you back to life from the dead, but you will not have your Popeye's breasts.
B
Right. So. So we went to another place because his runner up was Canes. So we got him strips and fries and everything was fine. However, the whole time. Where are you eta? Like you do not get a moment's rest. And it was just relentless. So this is, you know, prior to Chad getting here. And then I start getting all these text messages, so it says, okay, so mom and I have left the hospital, he's had his chicken, he's kind of tucked in. Whatever. We have to come back to the house to get Chad and like, do a couple things and kind of just like relax for a minute. So we've just gotten to the house and I get this eta. I said, I gotta poop, then we'll head back. He said, hurry up. Okay.
C
On the way.
B
Exclamation point. About time. Jesus. Take your time. What the. I say we're on the road. It takes time to get there. Bad traffic, bad timing on your part. I said, guess so. It's not all about you. I said, we're two minutes away, bad weather coming. Have to put the car away. You don't think of that, do you? It's about your poop.
A
So this is the communication he's having with you, his daughter?
C
Yes.
A
Hours after he was brought back from death.
B
He has just been brought back, not even 24 hours alive.
A
Yeah.
B
And yeah. Giving me about having to take a shit because it's not all about my poop.
A
Yeah.
B
So, yeah, he's.
C
Why is our family about the poop? I guess I don't know why the family's all about the poop either. It's funny.
B
Yeah.
A
All right. Well, there you have it. That is the Bob update. He is with us. We are all here convening on him. Right after we record this. We're going to go to his rehab facility and hang out with him for the majority of the day, I'm guessing.
C
Unless we want text messages.
A
Yeah, we'll have to go get him some Popeyes. I'm sure. Today.
C
He's texting me twice already this morning,
A
starting at 5am but that's the update on Bob and also why he's not on the show and probably won't be for a little while. That said, we must still have this necessary conversation about politics in America. Mom, you've been out of the loop. You haven't been watching Newsmax for a minute.
C
Right, Right.
A
So this is going to be the straight news. I'm actually delivering some news to you. You haven't even seen this document.
C
Okay, this is a first. Okay?
A
First up, democracy is over. This week, in the wake of the U.S. supreme Court ruling that weakened voting rights protections for minority communities in Tennessee, they passed and signed a new map, carving up a Memphis based majority black district held by Democrat Steve Cohen into three districts, spreading Democratic voters. This then will effectively eliminate any chance of Democratic votes mattering at all, which prompted immediate protests. Alabama also enacted a law that would ignore the results of its May 19 congressional primaries and hold a new election in a federal court if a federal court lifts an order requiring a second majority black district. Louisiana's Republican governor also suspended the May 6 congressional primaries after early votes had already been cast so he can redraw voting districts. And South Carolina legislators met to discuss eliminating the state's one Democratic controlled district, though some worry it could make other seats vulnerable. Seven of the 13 House members targeted by Republican enacted maps across the country are black or Latino. Voting rights groups have been filing lawsuits to stop the redraws. Democrats countered with their own maps in California, Virginia and Maryland. But this week, Virginia's Supreme Court struck down the Democrats redistricting plan, going against what Virginia voters had voted for. Despite redistricting gains, Trump's approval ratings are in the mid-30s. Mom, do you think redistricting all these Democratic districts is fair?
C
I don't know why they started it in the first place. I don't understand it.
B
They're trying to suppress votes, people of color.
A
So basically, like right now in Virginia, there's a district that is drawn so that there are a majority black Democratic voters in this one voting district. So it will allow for that district, let's say, to vote for a Democrat. Okay, they're redrawing it so that it just cuts that.
C
Who is redrawing it?
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The Republicans in their state government. They are cutting that district into parts so that that full Democratic vote gets split out into like, three pieces, basically, and absorbed into other red districts, so that vote will be meaningless.
C
But if they start letting people do that, then they can do it with other districts, too.
B
Well, Virginia tried that and they actually had a vote on it and it moved forward. And then the Virginia Supreme Court said, nana, go fuck yourself.
C
Yeah, so because they're Republican, so who can say yes or no to it?
A
Well, right now it's these state supreme courts, and I'm sure that that will be challenged legally, of course, but it's like, in the meantime, the elections are happening, right?
C
It shouldn't be done. It should stay the way it is.
A
Okay, so you're against Trump here.
C
Well, it should stay the way it is everything right now.
A
So you're against Trump.
C
It should stay the way it is.
A
Right? Trump wants to change it.
C
Yeah.
A
So you're against Trump.
C
I'm against that move.
B
But the reason Trump's move, the reason they want to change it, like, you have to understand this is deeply rooted in racism.
C
But why couldn't they change it for Republicans to, I mean, for white districts and Republicans to make it better for them, too? What I'm saying is once they start doing that, then can they switch it for the other people the other way?
A
That's what Haley's saying. In Virginia, they voted to leave the districts the way they were. The people said, we want it like this. And the Supreme Court, which is Republican, said you were overriding you.
C
Yeah.
B
So they're not even listening to the state.
C
Yeah, they're not. That's not right.
A
Okay. Against Trump.
C
It's not right. What they tried to do.
B
There's also been, like, video of, you know, all these white cops, like, taking out the.
C
The.
B
Who are all of the black members of, like the state legislation that are in the.
A
You know, I want to say that was in Tennessee. I remember seeing that. I don't, I don't have the names.
B
And they parallel it with like mlk. Like they're, they're literally dragging out these black guys, like all these white cops. And it is so reminiscent of like that time of civil rights that it's scary. Like there is a parallel here, here. Like the south is trying to rise again, you know?
C
Yeah, scary.
B
That's terrifying.
C
Yeah, scary.
A
All right, moving on. I guess this was one of the biggest news stories this week simply because it means the vote doesn't matter anymore. They're taking the vote away from black people, basically.
C
Yeah, I don't. They shouldn't redistrict. They shouldn't redistrict.
A
All right, moving on. Topic number two, false idols. This week, Trump unveiled a 22 foot gold leafed statue of himself called Don Colossus at Trump National Doral Golf Golf course in Miami. The $450,000 statue. What?
B
She's laughing at it. I'm just looking at it because, you know, it's absurd.
A
The $450,000 statue depicts Trump with his fists raised. And the pose from the July 2024 assassination attempt. Pastor Mark Burns, Trump's longtime spiritual advisor, had a circle of evangelical and Jewish clergy at the foot of the statue to consecrate it with prayers laying hands on it. The reaction has been sharp, including from several Christian commentators who warned that the blending of political devotion and religious symbolism risked crossing into idolatry and blasphemy, with clear comparisons made to the golden calf from the book of Exodus, when the Israelites built a gold idol while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments, which included a prohibition against worshiping false idols. You know that.
C
Yes.
A
Commandment, right. One of the more striking responses came from Catholic circles. The Catholic newsletters newsletter, Letters from Leo wrote, quote, that American Christianity in the year of our Lord 2026 is being tested in the same way the people of Israel were tested at the foot of Sinai and called on American bishops to act, saying, quote, a faith that cannot say no to a golden calf is not Catholic. Mom, do you agree with the Catholic Church that the golden Trump statue is a modern day golden calf?
C
I don't think it is, but he can put any statue he wants of himself, but then to bring in the church and that is not right. It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous.
A
So two for two, you're against Trump today?
C
I'm against. The statue's fine. He can do any statue, any bridge, any ballroom. That's all. Okay. But then to bring in religion into it, and I have seen one of his. It's a woman with blonde hair that's supposed to be one of his advisors.
A
Okay, ridiculous because she has blonde hair.
B
Oh, she's like an intellectual advisor.
C
I don't know this one like a weird evangelistic and just very strange. I don't think he should be bringing faith into the things that he's building now. I mean, yes, God bless America and God bless usa, but not to do that to a statue.
A
Yeah. You don't agree with God bless a golden statue of Donald Trump on his golf course.
C
Not really.
A
Neither does the Catholic Church.
C
I know, right.
A
Of which you claim to be a member.
C
Yes.
A
Okay, so two for two against Trump.
C
Yes, against what he's doing. I don't like that. Yeah. Yeah.
B
Well, that's him.
A
Do you think it's sacrilegious?
C
I don't think. I just don't think it's right. I don't like mixing statues with praise God and hallelujah.
A
All right, Haley, thoughts on the golden statue?
B
It's an abomination, but to be expected.
A
Wow. I don't really care about the religious implications personally, but in terms of what is happening, I think with Trump now is he is doing a lot of stuff that is peeling off big pieces of his base that are saying, like, okay, this guy's going way too far. The war in Iran, which we're going to get to in the next topic is a big piece of that. But when he's doing these little stunts where it's like, worship me, adore me, have evangelical preachers lay hands on the feet of my golden statue. The Catholic Church is saying, fuck you. He's already at war with the Pope. They're not happy about that. Now you've got some evangelicals even saying, whoa, what? Jesus is our guy, not Trump. And it's. Do you guys watch the boys on Amazon?
B
I've seen episodes, yes.
A
The current season is a one for one prediction of all of this. In the most recent episode, Homelander is the Trumpian figure in that world. They unveil a giant gold statue and he says he's God, and. And it's just like, are they making this happen somehow? What the fuck's going on? It's insane. All right, moving on our third topic. Ceasefire over. Did you know about this?
C
No.
A
As we enter week 10, mom of Trump's war with Iran, you predicted it would be over in six weeks.
C
Six.
A
So we're almost at double your prediction. Now. We're entering week 10 of Trump's war with Iran, and his ceasefire has completely fallen apart. On Monday, Trump launched, quote, Operation Project Freedom to escort merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by launching cruise missiles, drones and small boats at US Navy ships and commercial vessels. At least that's what the Pentagon is saying. The US Then opened fire on Iranian boats, destroying six. Then on Thursday, US Forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers after exchanging fire with Iranian forces overnight. At least one sailor was killed and 10 injured. Each side claims the other shot first. Trump called the strikes, quote, just a love tap. You think the person who's dead thought it was a love tap? And he insisted that the ceasefire is still in effect. Iran's foreign minister condemned it as ceasefire violation, saying every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure. And Trump has warned that if Iran doesn't sign a deal to end the war fast, quote, they'll be hit a lot harder and a lot more violently.
B
And wasn't there, like a trade or something that he just did with prior to striking?
A
Something that's constant now. Anytime something happens in the war or he makes an announcement about a ceasefire or anything like that, there's massive money moving in the oil market like 15 minutes before it. Every time.
C
Oh, a trade. I thought Haley was talking about prisoners or people.
B
No, every time this happens, people are making money and that's why it continues to happen.
C
Well, it needs to be over. I never wanted to be in this war, you know that. He needs to finish this and be done with it if he can.
A
But you're missing these bigger points here. He claims there's a ceasefire in effect.
C
There's no ceasefire if all that's going on.
B
So he's lying.
C
Well, somebody is.
B
He's lying.
A
He is. He's saying it. I. I just read it to you, right? He said it was just a love tap and he said the ceasefire is still in effect. But we're blowing up boats.
C
Yeah.
A
So Trump is lying to you. Right.
C
Seems sames.
A
What do you mean, seems? They're blowing. He's saying we're blowing up boats, then he's saying the ceasefire is in effect. That's not true. AKA a lie.
C
That's not a ceasefire.
B
Is your devotion to Trump starting to wane?
C
A little, but interesting. A little, yeah.
A
And. And what does that feel like to you?
C
Well, like, I haven't been connected, you know, with everything in Reading for a while, so when I have more time, maybe I can zero back in on what's happening, but none of that sounds good to me.
A
So this is three for three that you're against what Trump is saying and doing, and these are the biggest news stories happening this week, and you're against all of Trump's stances.
C
None of that sounds good.
A
So let me ask you this. You're saying that you've been kind of disconnected from the news and stuff for this past week. Effectively, you haven't watched Newsmax at all. Do you find it interesting that all you have to do is not watch Newsmax for a week and you're disagreeing with Trump when you're just presented with the facts and you can think about them for yourself and Smokey Joe and the boys aren't telling you, like, what to think, basically, when you're just thinking for yourself, none of this shit sounds pretty good. Right?
C
Right.
A
Is that at all doing something to you? Just that realization that, like, oh, I
C
need to reconnect and get online and start reading and doing. I just haven't had the time to do it yet.
A
But when you reconnect, you're reconnecting to those same news sources. You're going to go back to Newsmax, you're going to be back in your Instagram feed or TikTok.
C
We have ground news.
A
Okay, but I'm. I'm just saying we're. I'm giving you the facts here with no bias. Other than my own. But you know that. It's not like I'm trying to propagandize you. I'm just telling you what happened. We're having a conversation about it. And you're coming to the conclusion on your own that these things are bad,
C
but you're presenting it in a way too. That's against him, I feel.
A
But you know I'm going to do that. That's just me. Yeah, I don't feel like. Again, I don't feel like my bias in it is like swaying you one way or another. I've had that same bias for. We've been doing this show for four years.
C
Just give me time to get my brain back in it a little bit and then. But yeah, all that that you said, I don't like, I don't agree with.
A
Okay. I mean, that's three for three. Anti trump. Okay, you're sounding very much like, I hate to say it A lib.
C
No way, ever, ever, ever.
B
We'll just wait till we look at these T shirts in a minute.
A
Speaking of, it is time for our simmer down. Today is Mother's Day. I'm happy that we are able to spend this Mother's Day with you, Mom.
C
I am happy you'.
A
I'm glad we're both here.
C
I couldn't go another step without you. Thank you.
A
We are here for you.
C
I know.
A
And so. Yes, mom, for the simmer down, show us your Mother's Day gifts from Haley. Pacific.
C
Can you see it?
A
Grove, California. Butterfly.
B
Yeah, I went to Big Sur and like Carmel by the Sea for my birthday. And we passed through Pacific Grove, which I think is known as like the butterflies. Monarch capital of.
C
They overwinter the U.S. they overwinter there.
A
Yeah, we were. We were up by Pismo beach in February as well. And there's a lot of like butterfly paraphernalia and like store windows and stuff.
C
Yes. You said you only saw one butterfly.
A
I don't think we were there during season or whatever.
C
Haley, explain when I got these, I said I don't know what these are. Is that the camera?
A
Pentagon. A satanic heavy metal pentagon.
C
Fire.
B
Yeah. So. So you guys know that our mother loves Hassan Piker. He's the golden child of our family. So I thought it would be appropriate for Mother's Day.
A
Oh, my God.
B
To give her Hassan Piker merch.
A
So Hamburglar.
B
Yeah.
A
Stealing.
C
And this is a big old puppy. Nice one. This is like so thick. Big sweatshirt. And what's it say on the back?
B
Haley is chat pissing you off is touching grass not working. It's like call management.
A
Like, oh, wow.
C
1800.
B
Yeah.
A
Okay, so.
C
And then. Thank you.
B
Thank you very much for sending that stuff.
C
Thank you.
B
Yeah.
C
And then. Thank you. Hy. And then. Can they see this or do I need to.
B
It's very.
A
Look at that little screen. I can't see the little screen. Yeah, don't, don't, don't.
C
No.
A
This is going to be a disaster.
B
They can't really see it over there.
C
Beautiful. And we weren't at home. Explain this.
B
No one was home when they delivered the flowers. So the delivery guy went door to door trying to find somebody to, like, take these. So later on in the day, when I was getting blown up about, like, eta, eta. I had to go to the neighbors
C
and grab that and walk home with them.
A
How heavy is it? £20 or something.
C
Like, probably like 25.
A
Wow.
B
It's quite heavy.
A
Well, happy Mother's Day, Mom.
C
Thank you.
A
I'm glad we're here with you and Dad.
C
I am, too. Thank you.
A
Who is literally immortal now.
C
Yes. Yes.
A
He defied death.
B
I'm a survivor.
C
I can't believe it. The nurses, when they saw us come back yesterday, a couple of them hugged me in the hall and said, God is great. He shouldn't be here.
B
She said they were in disbelief. Like, you could see it in their face when they should not be here. Oh, wow.
C
Yeah. And he thought when Chad walked in, he was. Last night, he's kind of out of it a bit. But Chad resembles one of the therapists that dad loves. And it's a guy about Chad's size, bald head, walked in last night. He said, Joseph.
A
Yeah. He thought it was another guy.
C
But Chad walked in, kind of like slinging and. Hi. What you doing?
A
He goes, oh, I was slinging.
C
You were like my.
B
Hey, partner. Was I the wild West?
C
Yeah.
A
You saw me walk in. Was I doing that?
C
Yes, yes. And he thought you were the therapist. Joseph.
B
Joseph, walk like that a little bit.
A
Okay.
C
Okay.
A
Well, happy Mother's Day.
C
Thank you.
B
Yeah.
A
But now we must continue three for three against Trump today.
B
Okay.
A
Number four, the disrespectful president. This week, Trump made a surprise visit to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is being resurfaced ahead of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations. ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott asked him, quote, Mr. President, you're here. Against the backdrop of the war in Iran, why focus on all these projects right now? With gas prices soaring, the simple question made Trump so mad that he threw A tantrum. Saying such a stupid question you asked. We're fixing up the reflecting pond to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and you say, why are you fixing it up? Because you can understand dirt maybe better than I can, but I don't allow it. This is one of the worst reporters. She's with ABC Fake News, and she's a horror show. A question like that is a disgrace to our country. Then, as cameras kept rolling while press were ushered away, Trump was captured on video pointing toward the reporters and saying something to his team. While microphones didn't pick up the audio. A qualified forensic lip reader told the Mirror that Trump said, she's a B word there. Trump previously called Bloomberg's Catherine Lucy Piggy, the New York Times Katie Rogers, ugly both inside and out, and told CNN's Caitlin Collins she never smiles and is stupid and nasty. Mom, why do you think Trump attacks female reporters like this?
C
I have no idea.
B
Because he's a misogynist.
C
But your accent and everything of him. I have to see that. I mean, I know you were saying it. I've got a. I've got to see him saying that or it didn't happen. I. I don't know. You kind of went a little crazy there.
A
That's verbatim what he said. I'll read it to you without the accent.
C
No, no, I heard it all. But I want to see him say it, because sometimes he'll say stuff and then you make a big deal out of it and say he says it different or whatever.
A
Those are the literal words he said, there's no way. Why are you fixing it up? Because you can understand dirt maybe better than I can, but I don't allow it. Basically implying you're a dirty piece of. A question like that is a disgrace to our country. Then he called her the B word to her face. No, that was off camera. But he did say such a stupid question. We're fixing up the Lincoln Memorial in Washington Monument. And you say, why are you fixing it up?
C
I heard. I heard you with your accent. Or it's not accent.
A
This is one of the worst reporters. That's a direct insult. There's no other way to read that.
B
He always.
C
He attacks. Yeah, the women.
A
Quiet, Piggy. Remember that. Yes, I know that I use that on dad sometimes, but he used it on a reporter, a woman.
C
Right. I need to say that without you.
A
But you can't just dismiss that like, well, I don't know. It might not have happened. I need to see it. I'm telling you, it happened.
C
I believe you. I want to see, though, how he did it and said it.
A
Fine. And you're free to do so. But I'm giving you four examples here of times this year, or within the last calendar year anyway, that he has directly insulted these female reporters. He doesn't do this to guys. He might say fake news or something, but it's not like this. He's not saying, quiet, piggy, you're a disgrace. Worst person in the world.
C
I guess I get him upset and mad parent by.
A
Do you think that this question was out of line? Mr. President, you're here against the backdrop of the war in Iran. Why focus on all these projects right now with gas prices soaring?
C
Maybe if he was there fixing it up, she could have asked him about that first and then went into the war.
A
She did ask him about it.
B
He doesn't like women. He's a misogynist piece of. That's why he does this.
C
Okay.
B
How dare you ask me that?
C
I'm not gonna say anymore. I want to see him say that.
A
So you're just dismissing this entire topic because you didn't see video of him saying these insults?
C
A little. Because all I heard was you sitting there doing his name. I mean, doing his accent.
B
Did you watch him on the 60 Minutes interview where he was mean to that woman? Just. You could take your pick. Like, literally Google interview with Donald Trump, maybe on Wednesday.
A
That's what we'll do.
C
You and me.
A
I'll show you these clips. So let me ask you the same question the reporter asked Trump. Why do you think Trump is spending so much time on things like the ballroom, the reflecting pool, his golden statue, the Arc de Trump, when he has started a war in Iran that is skyrocketing prices of gas, oil, literally everything, any goods that go through that straight globally, not just for us.
C
Who is paying for.
B
Can I just.
A
That.
B
Can I interject. Remember when he said that the ballroom was going to be fun?
A
It's going to be our next topic. Hang on. That's going to be our next topic. Okay, we will get to that.
C
My question is he needs to focus in on the war. That's ridiculous. There you go.
A
So why do you think he's not.
B
Because he doesn't give a. He's an egotistical maniac.
C
A lot of very rich people. Your father has known a lot of rich people. He's worked for them toward the end of their lives. They wanted names on this, names on that. They like to see their name on.
B
He's the president and we're at war.
C
I know there isn't anything more important. I just said he needs to focus in on the war.
A
Okay, so you disagree with number four.
C
Half and half there.
A
What do you mean, half?
C
He's still beautifying the United States by
B
doing that reflective pool painted bright cerulean blue. Do you think that's appropriate?
C
I think our country has been so damaged that it does need some fixing
B
up at the White House.
C
Things need to be beautified. Yes.
B
I want gas that's not $6 a gallon.
A
Yeah.
C
Who.
A
Who does it help to put, like, fake gold inlay all over the White House?
C
No one.
A
How does that help the. The people of America?
C
It doesn't.
B
No one gives a shit.
C
All of his improvements. I thought in the ballroom was finance with.
A
We're gonna get to that. That's the next topic. Right now we're talking about how he's treating female reporters. And I know you say you need to see the clips. That seems to be a very. It's a common defense of yours. Whenever we bring up a topic, you're like, well, I don't know. I haven't seen that. I need to see those clips. But just take at face value what I'm saying. He is horrible to women that are reporters that ask him any question of substance, anytime it's something he doesn't want to ask. Epstein files anytime that.
C
Could it be the women, though, don't like him either, so they're not relevant.
A
Well, okay, the women are not insulting him. They're just asking him questions.
C
Okay.
A
About issues that he should have an
C
answer to because he's the president. Give me a little lead way on this one.
A
Lead way? What do you mean?
C
I'm getting tired already.
A
Okay, well, yeah, this episode is probably going to be a little shorter than normal. Obviously, things are going on. All right, we'll. We'll try to speed this up for you.
C
Mom, we don't want to get a text.
A
Our next topic is the ballroom. This week, the Senate Republicans included $1 billion in funding for White House, in quotes, security infrastructure into a roughly $70 billion party line bill that's otherwise meant to fund ICE and Border Patrol. The legislation says the billion dollars added to this bill is going to be used to build Trump's ballroom.
B
What?
A
Even though Trump has repeatedly promised taxpayers wouldn't pay a dime, he said in September, I'm paying for it. The country's not. In October, it would be, quote, 100% by me and some friends of mine. In February, quote, no charge to the taxpayer Whatsoever. And in March, zero taxpayer dollars.
B
It's like, Judge.
A
The White House. The White House and Republican allies like Senators Lindsey Graham and Katie Britt are saying that because of the apparent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Trump now needs the $1 billion of taxpayer money to build the ballroom. Mom, why are Republicans trying to get $1 billion of taxpayer money for Trump's ballroom when he said we wouldn't have to pay a dime?
C
They're on his side, I guess they're on his side to get it finished and get the money to finish it.
B
But that's crooked. You lied to us again. And it's a big lie. Like it's a billion dollar.
C
Can't the Democrats stop that?
A
They don't control the government. I'm not sure if, you know, Republicans control every body of government currently.
C
Yeah. That's weird because in the beginning he said that's all we heard. Private donations. Don't worry about it.
B
That's all they've been doing for the last year. And change is stealing from us.
C
Well, this is the first big one that now it's not the first big one of.
B
The first big funding. ICE is one of the first big ones.
C
Well, yeah.
A
What's that mean?
C
That he did lie then.
A
Yeah, on that. But he lies about like this all the time. Remember, Mexico's going to pay for the wall.
C
Okay.
A
We can't text for the wall. Us sitting right here.
C
Yeah.
A
Mexico didn't pay a dime and the wall didn't even get finished.
C
Okay. I don't. Yeah, the ballroom. He said that it would be private. I do remember this. He and his friends remember it.
A
I just read.
C
I know.
A
Four instances over the course of the last four months.
C
Well, when you do your accent, too, it kind of throws me off.
A
But you, you have this track record that he has now. First the wall in Mexico, now it's this ballroom nobody's gonna have to worry about. Everything's gonna be fine. Or the jet that he got from Qatar, it's going to be a free jet. Everything's going to be great. But then they had to pay a billion dollars to go in and gut the whole thing and make sure there weren't bugs in it and retrofit all this. So it's like he keeps claiming that there are these projects he's doing that aren't going to cost the taxpayers a dime, and then they wind up costing a billion dollars to us.
C
So that's a lie, I guess.
A
Yeah. And you're against that?
C
Yes.
A
So five for five you're against Trump today.
C
Yeah.
B
Because he's a lying, filthy crook on every topic.
A
You are opposed to what he is doing.
C
I need to see that one reporter clip. Yeah, but.
A
Yeah, okay. And I'm going to show you that clip along with some other ones. I'll pull them for Wednesday. But at face value, if you're believing what I'm telling you he's saying to them, you are against it.
C
Yes. If he says one thing and does another, that's not right.
A
And what I'm trying to get you to kind of like zero in on here is that literally everything we're talking about today, you hold the position opposite to Trump.
C
Five topics, and that this was all this week happened.
B
Yes. Just this week. Yeah.
C
Okay.
A
Is it starting to.
C
A little.
A
Okay.
B
I feel time to put this on. It's time to start wearing this out in public. Am I right? It's time.
C
I. I kind of like this one.
B
The Hamburglar stealing the White House.
C
Okay.
A
I feel like this. Something is. And I don't know if it was peppermint. I don't. That was a big piece of this, I think, for you.
C
I mean, I like that. That was fine, huh?
A
I feel like you're starting to turn and I just want you to know me and Haley are here for you. This. I'm not joking because I know it's going to be. Look, I can see it happening.
B
It's shocking whether.
A
Whether you are at the point where you can admit this or not. I can see that you're starting to come out of maga. I can see it happening in you.
C
No, this week's been hard, mentally. I'm not all here and you know that. Of course. Give me a little slack.
A
No, I'm giving you slack. I'm saying this is a good thing. But I also think, like, everything that's going on with dad is a part of this because it's like, anchoring you back into reality. It's showing you, like, oh, shit. There's, like, way bigger things than this weird political theater Donald Trump's been doing. And when I'm just giving you at face value, like, what's actually happening, you're disagreeing with it all. Because you're not. At least for the past week. You're not just swirling around in the newsmax propaganda whirlwind and now you're just getting facts.
C
I did see one thing. I was on Instagram early this morning, and this guy out of California, he looks really good. Pratt.
B
Oh, Jesus. Spencer. Pratt.
C
Spencer.
B
Pratt.
A
Do you know who that is?
C
No, I just watched it. I just watched it.
A
Spencer Pratt for president?
B
No, he's a reality show star.
C
Well, the things he was saying on this little clip and video made sense.
B
He's insane. Yeah, Spencer Pratt is insane.
A
I thought we were making some progress, and then she said she wants Spencer Pratt to be the governor of California.
C
I saw. I saw one minute thing on Instagram. I said, I like him.
B
Oh, my God.
A
No, I like him, too. He's one of the greatest reality stars of all time.
B
Yeah, all of those people have a charisma that's of kind. Kind of like undeniable. And so you want to listen to them, but he's insane.
C
You have to watch the little clip that was put together too, that somebody did for him. It was pretty good. Okay.
A
God, if there's no way Spencer Pratt would win the election, I don't think this ballroom topic that we're talking about. Do you think, like the Republicans are basically saying, and did immediately after the assassination attempt, this is proof he needs his ballroom, and so we better give him that. That billion dollars now. They're kind of trying to tack that on this other bill. Do you think that the assassination means he needs the ballroom?
C
Oh, for protection, you mean for security
A
or whatever they're saying
C
if he feels they need that for security, I mean, it would be not only for him, but for the presidents in the future, too.
A
And how do you think that ballroom would be more secure than where they had the White House Correspondence Center? It's going to be the same people
C
running security, but people couldn't get into it.
A
Why?
C
Because it's hooked on right to the White House. So I do think it would be more secure. And it would not only benefit him, but it'd benefit, you know what? Other dinners they have VPs, people coming in from out of the country. I like it. I do like the idea of it.
B
But somehow all these years, we've gotten by without the expansive ballroom.
C
But times have changed. And in regard to security.
A
But the same people who did security at the White House Correspondence center for the president and all, everybody was there. It wasn't just the president was vice president. It was like his whole cabinet was there. Those same people will be doing security in the ballroom.
C
But like, in my brain, it's like if we had to have a function in our home right here, and I knew all the doors were secure, that's great. But if we're doing it outside at a different location, it would be a little bit more insecure.
A
Okay, so you Want a ballroom, too. I want a ballroom dad needs a ballroom. Billion dollar ballroom.
C
Dad's in his med bed as we speak, texting us and God, he literally
A
isn't a med bed.
C
He's in his med bed.
A
I wish it was a real med bed.
C
I know. Me too.
A
I also wanted to bring up. Did you see. I know you've been off social media. Did you see any of the absolutely insane pictures that Trump posted this week? Did you see any. He posted a picture of himself in front of an American flag that only had 11 stripes.
C
Hello? Yeah, I need to see that one. Okay.
A
Okay. Maybe I'll pull these all up as well. He posted a picture of himself AI that said he's holding all the cards, and it was him holding a bunch of UNO cards. Not realizing that means you're losing the game if you have a handful of UNO cards.
C
Was this on True Social?
A
Yeah, and I think White House Official posted that one, too. White House Official also posted one that had, you know how, like, on. If you're on some websites to prove that you're human, it'll throw up an image and it'll have dissected and say,
C
like, I'm not a robot.
A
Click. Which boxes have, like, pictures of cars in them? That kind of thing. So the White House made a bunch of these ones that were pictures of him in various capacities with that grid on it that said, click each box that has a picture of a patriot in it, and nothing's clicked. In every one of the pictures, nothing is clicked. So it's just pictures of him with the grid. And the idea behind that is, like, the boxes should be checked that have his image in it. Nothing's checked. So they. I do think Trump, for a while, kind of had a stranglehold on owning the Internet and memes and getting people talking and all that shit. Now Iran is kicking his ass with those Lego videos and the shit the White House is putting out is making him look bad. You've seen none of this stuff?
C
No.
A
Okay. Did you see the Epstein Files Library opening in New York?
C
No.
A
This is an independent group, basically, printed out every one of the Epstein files has the. This little reading room that has tomes of the Epstein files as well as tables where you can sit and read them. And it's like an art project, really, to bring attention to the fact that there's so much of it and still double of what's in that library has not yet been released.
C
I do like that.
A
And Todd Blanch is not releasing it.
C
Oh, he's not oh, the, the other part. I do like that.
A
All right, so that's very against Trump. So now we've got you denying everything Trump did this week and supporting an anti Trump art project.
B
Should we take mom to New York and get in there?
A
Yeah, I'm down.
C
You could spend days in there, probably. I did see the Epstein suicide note, supposedly.
A
I don't know if anybody believes it's real.
C
I know, Big deal.
A
But even if it is real, like, that is a, a kind of point or a feature of Trump's presidency is the exacerbation of people feeling conspiratorial and like nothing can be trusted. And so that is coming straight back on him now. Nobody trusts anything he does or says. All right, I can see you're, you're running out of gas. So we're going to wrap this show up a little bit early today. But I just, in closing, mom, do want to say we are here for you in every capacity that we can be, and that is, you know, certainly to help you deal with everything that's going on with dad and stuff, but it is also to be here when you're ready to come out of maga. You're laughing, but that's gonna happen. I can see it happening.
C
No.
A
Yes, mom, you just disagreed with every point that I brought up today. You're already there. You just can't flip the switch to get rid of the name.
C
Let me get back in the groove. We'll see.
A
I'm just, I want you to feel like it's okay to do that. I know it's big. Been a big part of your identity now for 10 years. I get it. But you're, you're disagreeing with the core tenets of that ideology. You just aren't ready to take the hat off yet.
C
I, I, you know, it shouldn't have taken me and dad to be in the middle of the healthcare system to figure that one out. Everybody deserves health care. Everybody. Everybody.
A
So against Trump there, too.
B
Yeah.
C
Universal health care.
B
That's a everybody.
C
Yeah, I've always. Well, I've always thought that, though. No, Mr. Piker asked me that. Mr. Piker asked me that. Shouldn't everyone deserve health care? Yes.
A
But you've also sat here on this very show many times when dad was sitting next to you, and I think his influence over you is a little bit a part of this, too. But he would say, no, not everybody deserves health care. You got to have a job and blah, blah, all this. And you would agree with him.
C
No, everybody deserves health care.
A
Okay. So, yeah, you're. You're a socialist now.
B
That's us. No, that's part of the socialist movement.
C
No.
B
Is that everyone deserves.
C
Our health care system needs to be revamped here and changed. That everyone can have health care.
B
Socialism, universal health care is a socialist outlook.
C
It needs to be an American outlook.
A
You're an American socialist.
C
I'm an American health care.
B
I think that you've always just. You've always perceived socialism to be a bad word. But if you really look at what it is about, I don't think that you'd think it was bad. Like, you want everyone to prosper. You don't want anyone to suffer. Correct.
C
But I don't want money taken from the people that have earned it their whole life to give to the other people.
A
Well, then. But how would you get universal health care then?
C
Our government does it right.
A
Through taxes.
C
Through taxes.
B
So instead of funding ice, we'd be funding universal health care. You see, they're. They're allocating the money that they steal from us the way that they want to, not the way that we want.
C
Everybody deserves a right to health care.
A
Well, even look at his ballroom. There's a billion taxpayer dollars going to his ballroom. Or it could be going to healthcare. Which would you rather have?
C
Health care.
A
Okay, yeah, you're a socialist.
C
No, I'm not a socialist.
B
And then as much could be said about education. Like, think about all of the kids out there that want to further their education and go to college, but they can't afford it. Shouldn't everyone be allowed. If you want to take that leap, if you want to take.
C
Everybody does. Everybody does have the right for an education.
B
But it should be free.
C
Most places are. You don't have to pay. Like, I'm sorry, you don't have to pay elementary.
B
I'm talking about higher education. If you want to go to college, that should be free loans.
C
We. Everybody's had to do that.
B
But do you think that's right?
C
That's. It's just the way it's always been. So that's what I think is right.
B
No, it shouldn't be.
A
It's also not the way it is in other countries.
B
Not at all.
A
Those. And those loans aren't like, oh, you got to take out a loan and pay it back. There's interest on those loans. So the giant billionaire corporate greed machines are just making money.
C
We did loans for me and dad to go to school. We did loans for you guys. I understand.
B
Think about. If you didn't have to. Just think about that. If you could have gone to college without being in debt, think about how that would change your life.
C
Yeah, so I still kind of like the way that education is. I still kind of.
A
Okay, so there. You're still a capitalist, but at least on healthcare we've gotten you to socialism full blown.
C
Everybody has the right to have medical treatments and attention.
A
That is socialism. I can't believe you're saying this. So in one episode today. This is after one week off of Newsmax. Already you're disagreeing with every point I brought up about Trump and you're now talking about socialist ideas in American health care. This is wild. That's all it takes is a week for Newsmax to get out of your bloodstream.
C
Well, I'll turn it on tonight if I have time.
A
Okay. Well, thank you everybody for joining us. Sorry we didn't get time to do a viewer question and I don't know if we will do it because I don't technologically even think. I guess I'd have to play it off my laptop for you. I don't think we'll be doing a viewer question for the next probably week. I'm going to be here for the next week helping you out, Mom. But we will have an episode on Wednesday where probably I'm going to be showing you those Trump clips. We'll have another episode next Sunday. Some updates on Bob as well. But before we go, Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you. I'm glad we're here for you this week. Haley. I love you. Thank you for coming here to do this as well.
B
Love you, Chad. Love you, mom. Happy Mother's Day.
C
Thank you. I love you both. Thanks for coming. I love you both. Thanks for coming. And get well, Bob. And thank everybody that listens and gave me the nice DMS on Bob. Thank you. He's still alive and kicking. Only Bob would.
B
Where's my Popeyes?
C
Only Bob would do that to me. Died and came back. Yeah. He would only be the one that would do that to me. Yeah. And put me through that.
A
It ain't about you and your poop.
Release date: May 10, 2026
Theme: Family, Politics, and Reflections Amid Crisis
This special Mother's Day edition of The Necessary Conversation features the entire family gathered at the mother's house, with a focus on family bonds, political divisions, and the recent near-death experience of the father, Bob. The first half of the episode is deeply personal—updating listeners on Bob's health scare and the family's reactions. The second half transitions into a rapid-fire political therapy session, as the hosts process the week's major news stories and coax their conservative mother toward more critical views on Trump and Republican policies.
[00:47–10:12]
"I'm on my knees. I said, God, don't take him today. Please don't take him today." (C, 03:07)
"If I'm gonna die, I want my Popeyes!" (B quoting Dad, 07:24)
[10:12–15:02]
"They're trying to suppress votes, people of color." (B, 12:02)
"It shouldn't be done. It should stay the way it is." (C, 13:12)
"So you're against Trump here." (A, 13:12)
"Well, it should stay the way it is." (C, 13:18)
[15:02–18:14]
"...the Catholic Church...‘a faith that cannot say no to a golden calf is not Catholic.’" (A quoting, 16:21)
"He can put any statue he wants of himself, but then to bring in the church, that is not right. It's ridiculous." (C, 16:39)
"It's an abomination, but to be expected." (B, 18:11)
[18:14–23:42]
"There's no ceasefire if all that's going on." (C, 21:22)
"Is your devotion to Trump starting to wane?" (A, 22:01)
"A little, yeah." (C, 22:05)
"...when you're just thinking for yourself, none of this shit sounds pretty good. Right?" (A, 23:04)
"Right." (C, 23:04)
[28:12–34:49]
"Because he's a misogynist piece of— That's why he does this." (B, 31:58)
"Give me a little lead way on this one...I'm getting tired already." (C, 34:55)
[35:07–38:47]
"But that's crooked. You lied to us again. And it's a big lie. Like it's a billion dollar..." (B, 36:33)
"He lies about like this all the time. Remember, Mexico’s going to pay for the wall..." (A, 37:11)
"That he did lie then." (C, 37:09)
"Five for five you're against Trump today." (A, 38:16)
[24:19–27:55 (interwoven)]
"So you guys know that our mother loves Hassan Piker. He's the golden child of our family..." (B, 25:18)
[38:47–48:14]
"Time to start wearing this out in public...the Hamburglar stealing the White House." (B, 39:19)
[47:34–49:36]
"Everybody deserves health care. Everybody. Everybody." (C, 47:34)
"You're a socialist now." (A, 48:17)
On witnessing Bob's event:
"He died. He died before my eyes." (C, 05:57)
On Trump’s war rhetoric:
"He claims there’s a ceasefire... There’s no ceasefire if all that’s going on." (C, 21:22)
On Redistricting:
"It shouldn't be done. It should stay the way it is." (C, 13:12)
On Trump's golden statue:
"To bring in the church and that is not right. It's ridiculous." (C, 16:39)
On being away from right-wing media:
"All you have to do is not watch Newsmax for a week and you're disagreeing with Trump." (A, 23:32)
On family care:
"I'm glad we're here for you and Dad." (A, 26:51)
"Only Bob would do that to me. Died and came back." (C, 52:23)
On universal health care:
"Everybody deserves health care. Everybody. Everybody." (C, 47:34)
"That's...socialism." (B, 48:19)
The episode closes with love and gratitude for family, as well as cautious optimism about the mother’s evolving views. The hosts pledge to support her through both personal and political transitions. Bob—alive and texting for more Popeyes—remains a symbol of family resilience.
Recommended for: Listeners interested in political polarization, family dialogue across ideological divides, and authentic family dynamics mixing humor, heart, and hard truths.